CATHAETIDiE, AMERICAN VULTUEES. 377 



for tlie Zopilots, known in South America by the name of Oallinazzi ; 

 in other places by that of Aure ; and in some places, though very im- 

 properly, by that of Uamns. There are two different species of these 

 birds— the one, the Zopilot, properly so called ; the other, called Cozca- 

 quanhtli ; they are both bigger than the Eaven. These two species 

 resemble each other in their hooked bill and crooked claws, and by 

 having upon their head, instead of feathers, a wrinkled membrane with 

 some curly hairs. * * * * The two species are distinguished, how- 

 ever, by their size, their color, their numbers, and some other peculiari- 

 ties. The Zopilots, properly so called, have black feathers, with a brown 

 bill and feet ; they go often in flocks, and roost together upon trees. 

 This species is very numerous, and is to be found in all the different 

 climates ; while, on the contrary, the Gozcaquanhtli is far from numer- 

 ous, and is peculiar to the warmer climates alone. The latter bird is 

 larger than the Zopilot, has a red head and feet, with a beak of a deep- 

 red color, except toward its extremity, which is white. Its feathers are 

 brown, except on the parts about the breast, which are of a reddish- 

 black. The wings are of an ash color upon the inside, upon the outside 

 are variegated with black and tawny. The Gozcaquanhtli is called by 

 the Mexicans King of the Zopilots," &c. 



The "Zopilot" above mentioned is undoubtedly the Black Vulture 

 {G.atratu8),ox some small, closely allied, species; while the "Gozca- 

 quanhtli" is certainly the common Turkey Buzzard (0. aura). The par- 

 agraph is introduced to show what names these birds bore with the old 

 authors ; and particularly, that the Turkey Buzzard used to be called 

 "King of the Zopilots." What the King Vulture really is, may pres- 

 ently appear. Mr. A. S. Taylor, in an article in the San Francisco Her- 

 ald for April — , 1859, gives the following, also from the Abbe Glavijero's 

 work, but interpolated and differently worded : 



"The Gozqualitle is called by the Mexicans of the city and valley of 

 Mexico the King of the Topilotes; * # * * and they say that 

 when the two species happen to meet together, over the same carrion, 

 the Topilot6 * # # * never begins to eat until the other has tasted 

 i^_ # # # * The King of the Topilotes has a red head and feet 

 [&c. ; the same as the above description]. Bonar6 says that the Aura 

 (pronounced Owra, for the Turkey Buzzard, by the Mexicans) is the 

 Cosquath of New Spain and the Tropilot of the Indians, so that Gozca- 

 quanhtli and Tropilotl are both native Mexican-Indian names for two 

 different birds. But the bird that now goes by the name of the King 

 of the Topilotes in New Spain, seems different from the one we are de- 

 scribing. This is a strong bird, of the size of a common Eagle, with 

 stately air, strong claws, fine piercing eyes, and a beautiful blaclc, white, 

 and taicny plumage. It is remarkable, particularly, for a certain scarlet- 

 colored fleshy substance which surrounds the neck like a collar, and 

 comes over its head in the form of a little crown." * * * * 



The above mentioned Vulture, "with a beautiful black, -white, and 

 tawny plumage," is the one we wish to determine. It is evidently no 

 Cathartes; apparently a SarcorMmpus; and perhaps the same bird that 

 formed the subject of a note I gave on page 16 of my Prodrome of the 

 Ornithology of Arizona, to the following effect: While encamped on 

 the San Francisco Kiver, near the mountains of the same name, in July, 

 1865, 1 saw a pair of very large rapacious birds sail over head with firm, 

 easy, graceful flight, sustained for a long time without visible motion of 

 the wings. They were about the size of Bald Eagles, but the shape of 

 the wings and its mode of flight were those of Vultures. The entire 

 under parts were pure lohite. I gazed with admiration, yet with a feel- 



